Steve Howe Doing Double-Duty with Yes, Asia

Steve Howe expects to be making some new music with both Yes and Asia after the two bands complete a joint U.S. tour this summer.

Though the guitarist insists specific plans are hypothetical" at the moment, he tells Billboard.com that Asia is hot on the trail of another record" after a pleasant" experience making Phoenix" -- the original quartet's first set of new material 26 years -- and tends to be more prepared and jumps at things more quickly." Yes, meanwhile, has got to pace itself," according to the guitarist, especially with the two new members -- vocalist David Benoit and former keyboardist Rick Wakeman's son Oliver in his dad's spot -- in tow.

Howe does acknowledge, however, that the long-lived quintet has other plans going through the year, but we're not going to announce them yet. One thing at a time...do a little bit more work and playing and then divert to recordings."

Howe, meanwhile, will be doing plenty of work -- double-duty, in fact -- during the 24-date outing that kicks off June 26 in Indio, Calif. He'll begin with Asia's 50-minute opening set -- which Howe says will focus on the prog all-star group's 1982 debut and last year's Phoenix" -- and then move to Yes for 95 minutes of favorites from the group's catalog.